Clock



Feb 14, 1928 1,659,422

J. BACHTOLD CLOCK Filed NOV. 25. 1926 INVENTOR W add/ax 7%,3}, wai zkmnm Patented Feb. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES JACOB BACHTOLD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSTGNOR PATENT OFFICE.

OF ONE-THIRD T0 MARIUS GREENE,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND ONE-THIRD TO ANDREW J. MOTTERSHEAD, 0F BROOK- LYN, NEW YORK.

CLOCK.

Application filed November-23, 1926. Serial No. 150,186.

This invention relates to clocks, and par at a low cost and which will, provide an efiicient and durable device.

Further and more specific objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification. I

The invention consists in the novel features, arrangements and combination of parts embodied by way of example, in the apparatus hereinafter described, as illustrating a preferred form of the inventien, and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims- Referring to the drawings illustrating by way of example a preferred embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 shows a frontelevation of the device with-certain =parts broken away in order to more fully show the construction of the parts, and

Fig.2 shows a side-elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the clock mechanisms is mounted on a suitable support comprising in the present embodiment a front plate 1 and a rear plate 2 secured in spaced relation by suitable means, such for example as the pins 3, at, 5 and 6, in the usual manner; the clock mechanism being mounted between and on the plates 1 and 2 and supported thereby. Suitable motive means is provided for operating the mechanism, such for example as the electro-magnet 7 rovided with pole pieces 8 and 9; the magnet 7 being secured to the supporting frame adjace'nt the bottom thereof. The magnet is adapted to be intermittently electrically energized. through thelead wires 10 and 11 in any suitable manner. The intermittent energization of the magnet is eifected by means of an electric current furnished by any suitable means and preferably cona driving member such trolled by a master or primary clock: The electrical impulses so delivered to energize the electro-magnet may be regulated according to the time intervals desired. A lever 12, in the present embodiment in the form of a bell crank, is pivotally mounted on plates 1 and 2 by means of the pivot pin 13 adjacent the pole 8, and carries at its lower end an armature 14 located in the field of influence of the pole 8 A detent 15 is adjustably attached to the horizontal arm of the lever 12 and is positioned to engage the serration of the driven ratchet wheel 16 opposite the detent 15. The horizontal arm of the lever 12 is bifurcated and is provided with a pivot pin 17 on which is mounted as the vertically extending inclined arm 18. The arm 18 is provided at its upper end with a portion 19 adapted for cooperative driving engagement With the serrations of the ratchet wheel 16.

The driving member 18 is also provided on its outer face with a cam portion 20, so positioned that it will come into engagement with the pin 4 when the driving arm 18 is moved upwardly and will thereby cause the portion 19 to come into positive engagement with the ratchet wheel 16 A lever, in the present embodiment in the form of a bell crank 21, is pivotally mounted on plates 1 and 2 by means of the pivot pin 22 located adjacent the pole 9; and the lever 22 carries at its lower end an armature 23 located in the field of influence of pole 9. A horizontally extending arm of the lever 21 lies beneath the horizontal end of the lever 12 in operative engagement therewith, and is slightly curved as shown for purposes to be' in the gear train being proportioned to the frequency of the intermittent energization of the electro-magnet 7. In the present embodiment the intermittent energization of the magnet occurs at one minuteintervals and the ratio is such that the minute hand 27 moves a. unitary dial distance once each minute, and the hour hand movesthe correct proportionate fraction. It is, of course, obvious that this movement may occur at intervals of one second or any multiple or fraction thereof; and that the gear train may also be adapted to drive a second hand, all of which is well understood by those skilled in the art.

Operation.

tion 19 into positive engagement with a serration of the wheel 16. This positive movement brought about by the cam 20, and pin 4 is not absolutely necessary, since the inclination of the arm 18 will cause the portion 19 to fall into engagement with a serration of the wheel 16; but such positive means is greatly preferable since it will obviate the necessity of depending entirely upon a small degree of friction of the arm 18 about its pivot 17. The horizontal arm of the lever 12 is of suflicient weight to move the driving arm 18 downwardly when the magnet 7 has been de'energized. Therefore, at the time of such deenergization, the

lever 12 will be moved by gravity in a clockwise direction imparting a downward motion to the driving arm 18, which in turn transmits such motion into a rotary motion of the wheel 16, causing the wheel 16 to be driven in a'clockwise direction, and through the suitable gear train transmitting this motion to the dial hands 26 and 27, which will thereby be given the desired degree of movement.

The gravity pawl 24 is in some respects not entirely essential; but is highly desirable since it positively prevents a reverse movement of the wheel 16 and connected gear train, and removes this burden from other parts of the operating structure, thereby preventing undue wear in the operating parts. This detent is particularly important where the weight of the hands is sufiicient to overcome the friction of the moving parts; since if such a means were not provided, the hands would be subject to a jerky motion.

The compound lever arrangement fulfills several functions. For example, it is well known that the force exerted by the electromagnet on its armatures increases as the distances between the armatures and the respective pole pieces decrease. This increase in force exerted upon the armatures 14 and 23 is transmitted to the driving member 18 and if not corrected would result in an uneven upward movement of the arm 18. By means of the compound lever arrangement, wherein the lower lever is slightly curved, a means is provided wherein the resultant effective leverage of the two levers is decreased as the armatur-cs move toward their respective pole pieces. This results in a substantially uniform motion of the driving member 18, and thereby provides for greater smoothness in operation. Likewise, on the downward gravitational movement of the lever 12, the armatures 14 and 23 tend to counterbalance this movement, and the counterbalancing force exerted by armature 23 is greater at the beginning of the downward movement and decreases as the clownward movement of 18 continues; thereby preventing a quick jerky motion of the arm 18 as it descends. The elimination of a jerky motion in upward and downward movement of the arm 18 results in a smoothness in operation which is particularly desirable in mechanisms where the parts are comparatively light in weight, and where, due to the function which they must fulfill,

their adjustment is very delicate.

Another advantage of the present invention resides in the entire elimination of springs from the structure; thereby eliminating such parts as are subject to deterioration or variation due to temperature changes.

Having thus described the invention with particularity with reference to the preferred embodiment of the same it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding the invention, that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, 'and I aim in the appended clalms to cover such changes and modifications as are within the scope'of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

cent said first pole with one end extending toward said second pole, a first armature in 1 the field of influence of said first pole and carried by said first lever, asecond pivotally supported lever pivoted adjacent said second pole with one end extending toward said first pole, a second armature in the field of influence of said second pole and carried by said second lever, said oppositely extending ends of said levers being in operative engagement one with respect to the other, a driving member attached to and movable with one of said levers, and a driven member adapted to be driven by said driving member, whereby when said magnet is energized said levers will be moved about their respective pivots and the resultant movement delivered to said driving member to move the same.

2. In a secondary electro-ma-gnetic clock, the combination of an electro-magnet having a first and a second pole provided With substantially vertical faces which face in opposite directions, said magnet being adapted for intermittent energization, a first pivotally supported lever pivoted adjacent said first pole with one end extending toward said second pole, a first armature in the field of influence of said first pole and carried by said first lever, a second pivotally supported lever pivoted adjacent said second pole with one end extending toward said first pole, a second armature in theofield of influence of said second pole and carried by said second lever, said oppositely extending ends of said levers being in operative engagen'ient one with respect to the other, said levers being so arranged and positioned that when said magnet is energized they will exert a joint force in one direction and when said magnet is deenergized they will be moved by gravity in an opposite direction, a driving member attached to and movable with one of said levers, and a driven member adapted to be driven by said driving member, whereby when said magnet is energized said levers will be moved about their respective pivots and the resultant movement delivered to said driving member to move the same. fi

3. In a secondary electro-magnetic clock, the combination of an electro-magnet having a first and a second pole provided with substantially vertical faces which face in opposite directions, said magnet being adapted for intermittent energization, a first pivotally supported lever pivoted adjacent said first pole with one end extending toward said second pole, a first armature in the field of influence of said first pole and carried by said first lever, a second pivotally supported lever pivoted adjacent said second pole with one end extending toward said first pole, a second armature in the field of influence of said second pole and carried by said second lever, said oppositely extending ends of said levers being in operative enga ement one with respect to the other. adriving member attached to and movablewith one of said levers, a driven member adapted to be driven by said driving member, and a detent carried by one of said levers and movable therewith into positive 4. In a'secondary electro magnetic clock,

the combination of an electro-magnet having a first and a second pole provided with substantially vertical faces which face in opposite directions, said magnet being adapted for intermittent energization, a first pivotally supported lever pivoted adjacent said first' pole with one end extending toward said second pole, a first armature in the field of influence of said first pole and carried by said first lever, a second pivotally supported lever pivoted adjacent said second pole with one end extending toward said first pole, a second armature in the field of influence of said second pole and carried by said second lever, said oppositely extending ends of said levers being in operative engagement one with respect to the other, said levers being so arranged and positioned that when said magnet is energized they will exert a joint force in one direction and when said magnet is deenergized they Will be moved by gravity in an opposite direction, a driving member attached to and movable with one of said levers, a driven member adapted to be driven by said driving member, and a detent carried by one of said levers and movable therewith into positive engagement with said driven member to hold the same against movement during the energization of said magnet and the movement of said levers.

5. In a secondary electro-magnetic clock, the combination of an electro-magnet having a first and a second pole provided with substantially vertical faces which face in opposite directions, said magnet being adapted for intermittent energization, a first pivotally supported lever pivoted adjacent said rst pole with one end ext-ending toward said second pole, a first armature in the field of influence of said first pole andcarried by said first lever, a second pivotally supported lever pivoted adjacent said second pole with one end extending toward said first pole, a second armature in the field of influence of said second pole and carried by said second lever, said oppositely extending ends of said levers being in operative engagement one with respect to the other, a driving member attached to and movable with one of said levers, a driven member adapted to be driven by said driving member, a detent carried by one of said levers and movable therewith into positive engagement with said driven member to intermittently hold the same against movement, and a supplemental detent adapted to prevent a reverse movement of said driven member at all times.

6. In a secondary electric clock, the combination of a driven member, a driving member adapted for cooperative driving en- L A 4 c thereby cause said driving member to be moved with respect to said driven member at a substantially uniform rate.

7. I11 a clock, the combination of a driven member, a driving member adapted for cooperative driving engagement with said driven member, a first fulcrumed lever attached to said driving member, a first armature attached to said first lever, a second fulcrumed lever having a curved portion adapted for engagement with said first lever at varying pointsof leverage, a second armature attached to said second lever, motive means for moving said armature to thereby cause said driving member to be moved with respect to said driven member at a substantially uniform rate, a detent carried by one of said levers movable therewith into positive engagement with and adapted to intermittently hold the driven member in fixed position during the movement of said driving'member by said motive means, and a supplemental detent independent of said driving mechanism and adapted to'prevent a reverse movement of said driven member at all times.

8. In a clock, the combination of electromagnetic means adapted for intermittent energization and having two substantially parallel pole faces, a first armature and a aeeaeaa second armature in the field of influence of said poles, a first pivotal lever carrying said first armature, on one end, and a second pivotal lever carrying said second armature on one end, the other respective ends of said levers extending in relatively opposite directions and one being in driving engagement with the other, said levers being so supported as to be gravity operated to withdraw the armatures away from their respective poles when said electro-magnetic means is deenergized and adapted to be motivated by said magnetic means in opposite directions, a clock train, and means for operating said train driven from one of said levers during its gravitational movement.

9. In a clock, the combination of electromagnetic means adapted for intermittent energization. a first armature and a second armature in the field of influence of said magnetic means, a first pivotal lever carrying said first armature on one end, and a second pivotal lever carrying said second armature on one end, the other respective ends of said levers extending in relatively opposite directions and one being in driving engagement with the other, said said levers being so supported as to be gravity operated to withdraw the armatures away from the magnetic means when said electro-magnetic means is deenergized and adapted to be motivated by said magnetic means in opposite directions, a clock train, and means for operating said train driven from one of said levers during its gravitational movement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JACOB BACHTOLD. 

